ensures development priorities and full control of implementation. This has been based on
the context, needs and human betterment ideals of the Eritrean people and has ensured the
relevance of the development interventions. While prudent effort to address present
development challenges has been made, long term strategic interventions that guarantee a
viable future have also determined the priorities in national development. In this regard, the
thinking and practice on self-reliance is also maintained. The strategy has successfully
served as a way to expanded mobilization and organization of available local resources and
harnessed as national capacity. Foreign aid that nurtures dependency is been negated and
Eritrea has not depended on external aid, including food aid. It also rejected the prominence
of international NGOs and their piece meal projects and approaches which are meant to
reproduce dependency and promote corruption.
242.
Nevertheless, international cooperation predicated on partnership is also promoted. In
line to Eritrea‟s national interest, every effort has been made to promote mutual
understanding, mutual respect and mutual benefit. Above all, Eritrea continues to promote
peaceful coexistence within the wider strategy of good neighborhood and nurture
harmonization, complementariness and sound cooperation based on partnerships, a situation
always distracted by geopolitical agendas of western powers and their proxies in the region.
It has, however, focused at its internal dynamic as the decisive factor for development.
Equitable Distribution and Utilization of Eritrea’s wealth and resources
(ii)
243.
Eritrea is a country still working to come out of the fetters of under development. Hence,
a system approach that promotes the equitable distribution of wealth, services and
opportunities is a major policy course. Driven by prudent macro level policies and
programmes, an all-inclusive, diversified, and sustainable development is emerging. In
practice, important features including sector prioritization, demographic consideration,
resource mobilization, responsible participation and mitigation of vulnerability have
constituted the basis of the system approach.
244.
First and foremost, the right to development is maintained through a balanced
development approach that upholds sector prioritization. Focus is continuously made on
critical sectors in the context of the emerging development dynamics. In the last 18 years,
significant investment has been made in the main priorities including the social sector,
human capital and economic infrastructure. The social sector in particular targeted on basic
securities of food, water, health, environment, social security and education and improved
the dignified life of the people. The following integrated programmes (some of them with
ancillary loans from international institutions) are representative of the progress achieved:
Martyr‟s Families Support Scheme (Hidri Programme)
Eritrean Community Development Fund (ECDF)
Integrated Early Childhood Development Programme (IECD)
Integrated Management of childhood illnesses (IMCI)
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